Research article

Midwife-led debriefing after operative birth: four to six year follow-up of a randomised trial [ISRCTN24648614]

Rhonda Small , Judith Lumley and Liesje Toomey

Mother & Child Health Research, La Trobe University, 251 Faraday Street, Carlton Victoria 3053, Australia

author email corresponding author email

BMC Medicine 2006, 4:3doi:10.1186/1741-7015-4-3

Published:	1 March 2006

Abstract

Background

There is little evidence that single-session debriefing is effective in reducing adverse mental health outcomes after trauma. Few trials have included long-term follow-up, but two also suggest possible negative effects of debriefing. We aimed to assess longer-term maternal health outcomes in a trial of midwife-led debriefing following an operative birth, given that findings at six months could not rule out a possible adverse effect of debriefing.

Methods

Four to six years after participating in a midwife-led trial of debriefing following an operative birth, 1039/1041 women were mailed a questionnaire containing the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the SF-36 health status measure.

Results

Responses were obtained from 534 women (51.4%). Responders from the two trial groups remained comparable 4–6 years postpartum. No significant differences on maternal health outcomes were found between the trial groups.

Conclusion

In the longer term, maternal health status was neither positively nor adversely affected by the experience of debriefing, despite a hint of adverse effects at six months postpartum. Short debriefing interventions have not proven effective in improving mental health outcomes for women following childbirth.